Romeo and Cinderella
by Namidaga Ochiru
Summary: By day, Sasuke and Sakura, heirs of the two most powerful clans in Konoha, seem to hold no interest in each other beyond friendship. Their families are puzzled, but plans for a marriage or two are underway, and things can change quite a lot when the sun sets.
1. Chapter 1

Me: Hi! I'm new, and this is my first fanfic! I'm excited, and I have a lot of ideas for this story. I got the idea while I was drawing fan-art in my room, so I wrote it down. I was listening to the song that also happens to be the title of this story. Romeo and Cinderella is a vocaloid by Hatsune Miku. The characters in this story are all from Naruto. *Disclaimer: I don't own the song that inspired me or the manga! All rights go to their original owners! I only take credit for the idea and the story. I hope you like it! :)

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**~Prologue~  
**Konoha had risen further than anyone expected. The quiet ninja village had become a powerful capital, home to two of the most powerful clans in ninja history. Their relationship also surpassed expectations. The Haruno clan was of equal power to the Uchiha clan, but they had been close friends for generations, right down the the next heirs of the clans, two teenagers sixteen years of age. Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke had been friends for years, and their relationship both pleased and puzzled their parents. Nevertheless, their parents shrugged off their worries and began formulating a plan for two unions.  
Konoha itself, for a powerful capital, still seemed like a relatively quiet village. It had a very open feel to it, a subtle sense of pride. Its achievements and people were the foundations of its success. When night fell, the air shifted subtly to accommodate a sense of beauty and romance. The current generation in Konoha is not one to waste that kind of atmosphere.

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**~Chapter One~**  
_*Sakura's POV*_  
_HOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK!_  
My peaceful sleep was shattered by the air horn screaming by my bed. Sitting up violently, I flashed my grinning older brother, Sasori, a thumbs-up paired with a dark glare. He disappeared, and I heard the air horn explode in another room, followed by a screech. Sasori flew into his room and locked the door a split second before my mother pounded on it. She mumbled a quick jutsu and opened the door, throwing the demolished air horn into Sasori's lair. Coming back into the hallway, she smiled confidentially at me and winked.  
Welcome to Konoha, the capital city of our kingdom and my hometown. I'm Haruno Sakura, the second child of my parents and the next heir to my family's clan. My older brother, Sasori, is eighteen and the current heir to the family. When my parents pass away, Sasori will inherit everything, and I will become his heir unless he takes a wife and has a child of his own. But enough about that.

In Konoha, there are two families that dictate the rule of the city. My family works with the Uchiha clan to control Konoha. Our positions give us power, and our clans could easily be enemies, but for generations we've been friends. Every person in my family has an alter ego in the Uchiha clan. Our mothers, fathers, and brothers are just about as close to blood-related as you can get.

Then there's me and my 'alter ego', Uchiha Sasuke, the heir to the Uchiha clan. We've been together since birth, literally. We were born a hospital room away from each other, only a week away from each other. We were together from then on, and we grew up to be close friends. By now, we're friendly competitors as well, vying for first place in everything even remotely school/ninja-related.

On that thought, I noticed the time and panic took over. "Nooo! I'm going to be late if I don't hurry up!" Wasting no time, I hurriedly changed into my red dress, placing my short tights beneath and pulling my hair out of the way with my forehead protector, the piece of armor that marked my rank and place as a ninja. It served its purpose well as either armor or an accessory. My feet slid into my shoes as I grabbed my lunch, my bag, and my coat. "Okaasan! I'm leaving now!" With that, I dashed out the door.

Okay, heading to school in mad-dash mode does not serve me well. To start off my before-school-arrival misadventure, I realized that my writing pencils were at home on my windowsill, recovering from an art session with Sasori and a dip in the paint bucket. While that thought distracted me, my ankle twisted beneath me on a curb. Falling through the air, I had just enough time to think, "Well, this is just ridiculous," before I hit the ground. My school bag landed next to me, and supplies scattered everywhere. I pushed myself up to a sitting position and collected my things hastily. Standing, I almost fell over again. "Itai... If I can't walk, how will I get to school?!" My inner self started screaming strings of obscenities, but a voice interrupted our thoughts.

"Looks like you need some help, Sakura-chan." Turning around as fast as possible, I found myself staring into a pair of onyx eyes. "S-Sasuke-kun! W-what are you doing here?" He displayed the traditional Uchiha smirk, looking down at me. "I was on my way to school, and I saw you fall. Are you all right?" I looked down at my scattered supplies and back up at Sasuke, who was now crouched next to me. "Your ankle is swollen. What did you do?" His tone was so gentle, as gentle as the hands that held me upright. I hadn't noticed him come up so close to me. His dark hair brushed his face, and I longed to push it out of his eyes, but that would defeat our purpose. "I-I was running to school and I twisted it." Looking down at the joint, I was shocked by the amount of swelling, as well as the pain, that surrounded it. Sasuke ran a lone finger lightly over the skin, and I hissed involuntarily. "Itai..." He shook his head slightly. "You never cease to amaze me. Sit here for a moment, okay?"

Sasuke disappeared from my view as I shut my eyes, sitting back against the wall he placed me against. He used to talk a lot less, but I liked his voice, whether he used it less or more. His tone was always varying from one thing to another, but it always possessed a certain calming element. It didn't matter if he was as angry as I had ever seen him... he still managed to calm me down. I heard a rustle next to me, which pulled me from my reverie. Sasuke was kneeling next to me, both of our school bags over his shoulder, and before I could comment, I was in his arms. I had no choice but to loop my arms around his neck as he carried me, newlywed-style, to the school. When we reached the school, I was surprised to see that most of the students were just filing through the doors. Looking at the time, I groaned inside. Of course, we forgot to set the clocks to daylight savings time. I woke up an hour early for nothing!

"Sasuke-kun, you can put me down, if you want." My voice was quiet as I hid from all the prying eyes focused on us, but I knew he could hear me clearly. "I don't want to, and I don't want you hurting yourself. You're not going anywhere until we get to the infirmary." A trace of smugness mixed with worry touched his tone. Suddenly, I heard a shriek from behind us. Sasuke stopped and turned slightly, hiding me from view. I recognized Karin's high voice shrilling through the air. "SASUKE-KUN! WAIT FOR ME-?!" I pushed myself up in his arms even as they tightened around me. Karin had caught sight of me and was standing openmouthed, her eyes flickering between Sasuke and me. Her long red hair quivered as she shuddered slightly. I could see her intent before she acted.

Karin plastered a happy smile on her face and ran towards us, 'tripping' at the last second and crashing into Sasuke. I was knocked out of his arms and skidded across the rough pavement, shredding a part of my dress. My wrist screamed in pain and I bit my lip, looking back to Karin where she clung to Sasuke, bawling and asking if he was okay. She shot me a victorious, poisonous look full of gloating as I slowly pushed myself up onto my feet. My wrist burned, putting my ankle to shame, and I dragged my books over, standing unsteadily. Karin fussed over Sasuke, who tried to push her off him repeatedly.

"Okaasan, forgive me..." With that apology, I ripped my school bag apart. My books flew everywhere, but I didn't care. I wrapped the makeshift sling around my arm and held it close to me. I schooled my expression until it was blank and emotionless and cradled my books against my side. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Karin expelled violently from Sasuke's lap, her mouth forming an 'O' of disbelief. I quickened my pace, walking away from Sasuke, pain beating my body with each step. I made it into the building's side alcove before blacking out. My last thought was, "Not again..."


	2. Chapter 2

**~Chapter Two~  
*Sakura's POV***

"Idiot... Pushing yourself so hard." I heard a far-off voice say that sentence, irritation and amusement lacing his voice, and struggled to open my eyes. I didn't feel like I was moving anymore, for some reason. Another voice, muffled yet clearly female, echoed through the layers of black to my consciousness. "She has a broken wrist, a dislocated ankle, and three broken ribs. I don't know what happened for her to experience this much damage on the way to school, but it clearly wasn't a good idea for her to walk alone. Next time, go with her, Uchiha-sama." I heard another sound, like... a door closing? My eyes finally opened.

The brightness of the room was disorienting. I stared up at the ceiling for a moment before casting my eyes down on my body. I was wearing a thin, soft gown that reminded me of the hospital gowns issued to inpatients. The right side of my chest was tight, making it hard to breathe. My arm and wrist were wrapped in gauze and in a sling, and my ankle felt... bulky. I looked down at my hand and was shocked to see an IV attached to my free hand. A light caress brushed my cheek, and I looked at the source.

"Sasuke-kun? Where am I? I remember going into the school... and nothing else..." He gave me a 'hn' before answering properly. His hand slid down to rest on my free hand, and I barely kept the blush out of my cheeks. "Karin attacked us, remember? You were knocked away, and she stuck to me. When I got her off, you were limping towards the school, but you looked like you were about to fall again, so I caught up with you." He paused, and I braced myself for his next statement, along with the furious glare I knew would be coming. "You fell back against me as soon as we got into the school. I've never been so worried about you in my life, Sa-ku-ra-chan. Please, don't make me worry so much next time." Another pause marred the flow of his speech, and I sensed an important detail as to our location coming up. "I had to take you to the hospital. Your ankle is dislocated, your wrist snapped, and three of your ribs have been broken. I'm not a medic... I can't heal you... But right now, I wish I was, so that I could." Finally, Sasuke looked up at me. The intensity in his dark eyes held my gaze there. His fingers played with mine a bit before he moved his hand away, his face tinted with pink. Processing his words, an idea came to me.

Holding my intact hand over my ribs, I focused my chakra and pushed my ribs back into place, healing the wound at the same time. It was no longer hard to breathe when I removed my hand. Moving my injured arm towards the soft glow of my chakra, I braced myself for the last push towards freedom of my upper body. Once I finished binding the ligaments and bones together, my head spun. Dark spots clouded my vision, and, once again, gentle hands caught me as I lost consciousness.

Coming to was difficult, more so than last time. I groaned as I forced my eyes open, my gaze seeking out Sasuke. He was no longer in the chair by my bed; instead, his arms were around me and my back was pressed against his chest. "Honestly, you need to stop pushing yourself, Sa-ku-ra-chan. This shouldn't become a habit." He spoke directly into my ear, and I shivered when his fingers brushed my shoulders. "Sasuke-kun? What about school? We can't afford to miss class..." I trailed off as he put a finger to my lips. "The nurse told Tsunade about what happened this morning. Karin was given a week's suspension, and we're going back to school tomorrow." I nodded, trying not to look worried, and wondered what was going on outside of this place.

***The Uchiha residence, Mikoto's room and POV***

"My, they certainly have grown up fast, haven't they, Mebuki? I can still remember Sasuke running around with her when he was only five years old..." I smiled fondly at the memory, looking at Sakura's mother, who happens to be my good friend, Haruno Mebuki. She sighed, a soft, faraway look settling in her eyes. "They have. And they seem to be good friends by now! Running Konoha is getting more challenging, don't you agree, Mikoto? Maybe we should consider a marriage." Mebuki squealed in glee at the thought of a marriage between the Haruno and Uchiha clans. "They're our heirs as well; we should marry them. They'd be perfect together!"

I giggled ecstatically, grabbing Mebuki's hands. "They're ready for this; they're friends, they can handle being together. It's not like I'll be asking my son to marry a complete stranger. On second thought, I had some thoughts about marrying Sasuke and Karin together... but he glowers every time I mention her name. Black and red don't really go too well together, really... I like the idea of black and pink much better!" Mebuki let out a shriek of pure excitement and began chattering excitedly. "It's the best match I've ever seen! Oh, please, say yes! I want Sakura to have someone she can get along with and a secure future, and Sasuke seems to be interested in her! I'll split the cost and-" I couldn't help it. I laughed at my friend, covering her mouth. "Shhh, I know you're excited. I'm excited too. I want them to be surprised when we tell them, though, so maybe don't talk as loudly? Let's tell our husbands first!"

Skipping downstairs, we discussed how to break the topic, but stopped when we saw the expression on Fugaku's face. It was solemn and touched with a hint of sadness. "Fugaku, what's wrong? Did something happen? Did..." I counted the number of people present aloud. "Fugaku, Itachi, Haruno-san, Mebuki, Sasori, myself..." Realization struck me instantly. "Where's Sasuke and Sakura-chan?!" Seeing Itachi nod slightly, I swayed, imagining the worst, and fell, like a collapsible slinky, to the floor as black filled my vision. The last things I heard and felt were Mebuki screaming and Fugaku's hands catching me.

***Konoha Hospital, Sasuke's POV***

She was beautiful, more than she realized. I stroked her face softly, content to watch her as she slept off the drain using her chakra had caused. I remembered the first time I had met her. I thought she was an angel, and in some ways she was.

_The snow kept falling as I struggled to get across the park. It was already up to my knees, and I was tiring out. I fell onto a bench next to me, wincing as I felt my cut burning. Looking at it, I saw that the skin on my fingers was turning a dark red, almost black, with pale splotches interwoven._

_I heard a laugh and looked up in surprise. In the middle of the park, dancing and spinning with her eyes closed and her arms flung out, was a girl. She was different from me, and very different from the girls in my class. They hung on me, and were too annoying to be worth talking to. Their hair was bleach-blonde, tea-dyed, or just flat-out black, but her hair was long, slightly wavy, and... bubblegum pink. She faced me, lowering her arms and sighing, the opaque white cloud of her breath hiding her pink lips from view. Opening her eyes, she looked right at me and smiled. The irises were a shocking emerald green, and I was instantly captivated by how they sparkled and danced as she laughed slightly. Before I could blink, she was standing in front of me, bending over to look me in the eye. I felt my face turn a slight pink, but I shuddered from cold and felt the sting of pain in my hands as they burned slightly. I looked down at the same time that she did, but didn't comment on my hand. Her gasp surprised me, and her hand on mine shocked me even more. Tugging me over to a phone booth, she shut the door behind us._

_She pushed me onto the ground and sat close to me. "Sit down, please. You need to focus on getting warm. I know that I'm only six, but my okaasan tells me that I have great potential as a medic!" Her voice glowed with pride and affection, and a sudden brightness pierced my eyes as I looked at her. Taking my hand in between hers, she closed her eyes, her lips curving into a smile as she focused. Green light engulfed my hand and hers, and a tingling, warm sensation danced over my skin. "There! All done!" She smiled again, but swayed slightly. My hands weren't injured at all. They were the same shade as the rest of my skin once more, and I marveled at the control she had over her chakra. "I hope you're feeling better! I tried to do it right... Oh, how rude of me! I'm Haruno Sakura, pleased to meet you!" She giggled slightly, her face slightly pink, matching her hair. "Uchiha Sasuke," I said, captivated by her. "It's nice to meet you, Sakura-chan." "You, too, Sasuke-kun! I hope we can be friends!"_

That was a long time ago. Ten years ago, my lonely, glum life changed drastically, for the better this time. I found my angel, and I devoted myself, as much as I could then, to her. She liked spending time with me, that was obvious. My mother was thrilled, and cornered me after Sakura went home one day after meeting my parents. "Sasuke, I like that girl! Where did you meet up with her? She's so pretty! She could be my daughter..." Okaasan sighed, a dreamy, wistful look in her eyes. "Oh! Could it be... What's her name, Sasuke?" I looked up at my mother in confusion, but replied. "Her name's Haruno Sakura."

Okaasan beamed. "That's why she looks so familiar! Mebuki-san's daughter... Her son, Sasori, is two years older than you two, and his hair is darker. Have you run into him at all? Usually he walks his sister home, but Mebuki-san has been telling me that he hasn't recently because she's been 'disappearing, running off to be with someone.'" Giving me a sly look, she turned her face up towards the ceiling and thought aloud, "I wonder who that could be..."

"Okaasan, is Sakura an angel?" The words had left my mouth before I could think about them. She looked at me in surprise and affection, amusement sparkling in her eyes. "You think she's an angel? Sasuke, no one that you'll ever meet is an angel, but she's close enough. She can be your angel, hmm? But you have to ask her to be yours! I honestly wouldn't mind a daughter!" My mother had winked at me and smiled broadly before leaving my room. I had felt my face grow warm as soon as she closed the door and pieced together my thoughts. I want Sakura.

"Sir, visiting hours are over. Unless you're a relative of hers or someone very close to her, you can't be in here. We need to bind her ankle so she'll stand a chance of walking tomorrow, and she won't want you seeing-" "No." The soft voice surprised us both. The nurse and I turned to see Sakura struggling to sit up. I helped her, my hands on her shoulders, and she shot me a grateful, shy look. "Let him stay, please. I need him here." The nurse looked worriedly over her shoulder, hmm-ed, and pursed her lips slightly. "Well, all right, but what is his relationship with you? Medical rules. No one but family-"

"He is my family." Her look was strict, and I found myself wondering how anyone here had the strength to stand up to her will, other than Tsunade-san. Shizune shook her head, her short black hair waving slightly, and frowned before her expression cleared up. "Fine, but if Tsunade finds out I allowed this, you're answering for it." With that, she looked pointedly at Sakura and said, "Brace yourself. I have to begin binding this or I'll never get done in time to tend to my next patient." Sakura gripped my hand tightly as Shizune began.

By the time her ankle was bound and Shizune had made the final adjustments, Sakura's face was white and strained, and her hand held mine tightly, as if afraid I would disappear if she let go. "Done. You can sleep, Sakura-chan. I'll inform Tsunade-sama of your condition, and you'll be free to go by tomorrow. Uchiha-sama, you'd be best off returning home and letting everyone know what happened. I called your family and Sakura-chan's before visiting you. They were informed about what happened in a very confidential manner, and they will be worried." My eyes shifted to Sakura, and I touched her arm as she looked at me. "Sakura-chan, I have to let everyone know what happened so they don't decide to disturb you. I'll be back tomorrow to pick you up for school, all right? I'll send someone over with clothes for you." She smiled secretly at me, her eyes glimmering with suppressed emotion. "Thank you, Sasuke-kun." Giving her one last look, I left the room and put her at Shizune's mercy.

Walking into my house, my job was made easier by the fact that the Haruno family was crowded together with mine in the living room, along with several of the more trusted servants of the house. "Sasuke! Where were you?! We were so worried! I-I..." Okaasan swallowed heavily, tear tracks on her face giving away that she had been crying. "I'm all right, okaasan. Sakura-chan is fine, as well. She's a talented medic. She healed her ribs and her arm, but her ankle will be out of commission for a while. She's being discharged tomorrow, and I'll be picking her up for school." I caught the looks of relief passed between our mothers, and frowned inside, wondering why those looks were holding a hint of secrecy. Deciding not to read too much into it, I finished my thoughts in a collected, calm way. "I just thought you would want to know. I'm tired; I'm going to sleep. I need to get up early enough to take care of Sakura-chan tomorrow. Sasori, I told her I'd ask someone to give her some clothes. Can you take some to her? I don't want her angry at me tomorrow..." I trailed off, giving him a look edged in pain until he nodded slowly, understanding dawning.

My mother stopped me from leaving when the Harunos left. "Why did you stay so long with her, Sasuke? I thought something had happened to you..." I gave her an incredulous look and tamped down my true emotions. "She's my friend," I deadpanned. "I wanted to make sure she would be all right before I left her in Shizune's hands. She was about to rest when I left." Okaasan nodded in understanding, a gleam entering her eyes. "I see... Well, you should go rest up! You have to be able to do your job tomorrow, after all! And protect her from the 'fangirls' you talk about with such... distaste." Her nose wrinkled slightly, but then her expression brightened. "Her own fans will be enough of a problem, don't you agree? You have to be awake enough to help her out." As I headed to my room, I heard her chuckle to herself.

"Damn it... This is getting difficult..." I groaned mentally as I collapsed on my bed. Keeping up the facade was hard enough, but when Sakura got hurt, I almost lost it. Controlling my composure at a time like that was more challenging than I thought, and evading Shizune's questions was like trying to avoid every kunai thrown at me in training. My feelings were starting to make themselves more prominent in my life, especially when I was with Sakura. Convincing the world that we were just friends when we were really so much more... I was starting to grow impatient with myself. _I need to discuss this with her before I go completely insane from the wait._ "There's always tomorrow. I'll discuss this with her tomorrow." Aware that my brother was standing outside my door, I raised my voice slightly. "She's going to have trouble getting around with her ankle... I'll have to arrange something to make that easier." Itachi's retreating footsteps alerted me to his change of course, and I smiled to myself. _Just a bit more time... then everything will be made clear._


	3. Chapter 3

**Me: Hi! I know it's been FOREVER since I updated, but I hope you like this chapter! Warning: Some material may be inappropriate! You have been warned! ...By the way, thank you so much for the reviews! I loved them, and they made me very happy. XOXO Namidaga Ochiru :)**

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**~Chapter Three~  
*Sakura's POV***

Sasuke was quieter than usual today. Every time I commented on something or asked a question, I got one of two answers. Today it was either "Hn," or "Aa." I didn't want to read too much into it, but I felt a bit hurt. Sasuke-kun was always taking care of me, but this overwhelming silence was hard to take. "What's wrong, Sasuke-kun?" I braced myself for his answer, knowing that my blunt approach may not have been the smartest choice.

"..." He was quiet before his rich voice filled the silence. "I'm thinking... about us." I blinked in surprise, but kept my gaze trained on him. "I think our parents are getting suspicious... kaasan and Mebuki-san are always talking and shooting looks at us. It's getting hard to keep this up, Sakura-chan." I felt tears fill my eyes, and some spilled down my cheeks. I looked straight ahead, convinced that he was going to tell me something that would shatter me. "Ne, why are you crying?" Sasuke tugged my wrist, forcing me to face him. I looked into his eyes, filled with such emotion and confusion that it made me remember every moment we spent together. He wiped my tears away as we sat in the hospital, waiting for Shizune to return and let me go. "I don't want to lose you..." I whispered, searching his expression. Surprise shone for an instance before he sighed, his eyes shining with tenderness and understanding. "I don't want to lose you either, and I am not going to end things between us. But I want to ask you something... Maybe later, once we're out of the hospital. Shizune's coming down the hall now."

Sasuke moved back to his seat just as Shizune turned the doorknob. I marveled at his senses, able to detect her coming through the hall. "Sakura-san, you are free to go. Tsunade-sama has directed that you are to bind your ankle tightly each morning, and you may require assistance getting to and from places. I'm sure that your family or Sasuke-san will help with that. Alright, you may leave now. Sayonara, Sakura-san, Sasuke-san. I hope that I don't see you too soon." Shizune smiled, ushering us out as carefully as possible.

Sasuke helped me exit the hospital, leaning heavily against him. I felt weak, and I didn't like the idea. When we were a suitable distance away from the hospital and prying eyes, he stopped. "Sasuke-kun? What are you- eh?!" In an instant, I was off the ground and in his arms. "I don't want you getting hurt trying to show that you're not weak. You're strong, Sakura-chan, but I'll feel better if I'm able to help you without the risk." He offered me a smile rarely seen in public. "Ne, I might add that our parents are giving themselves nightmares at home about this. They assumed the worst when word reached the house that we were both at the hospital." I groaned, my arms around his neck and my face buried in his shoulder. I could already picture kaasan, my father, and niisan exploding into questions when we walked through the door like this.

Reaching the driveway of my home, Sasuke put me down. The night had gotten colder, and I shivered as the wind blew strongly. A rustle and a sudden lack of cold made me look up. "Here, keep it. I'll get it later," Sasuke said, his face turned away slightly. "Arigatou, Sasuke-kun. Gomenasai for taking your jacket. Are you sure you don't need it?" He smirked at me in his typical fashion. "We need to keep up appearances. I'm an Uchiha; we aren't known for getting cold. We're also 'friends'. Friends do this kind of thing for one another." His dark eyes softened as he looked at me again. "You have arrived at your destination, Sa-ku-ra-chan. I think I'll let you continue on your own for now, ok?" He adjusted his jacket around my shoulders, using it as an excuse to get closer to me. "I'll see you later, Sa-ku-ra. Wait for me."

Stepping into my home, I was immediately surrounded by questions and worried queries. "Sakura, we were so worried! Are you really okay?" My mother was crying slightly as she said this. Apparently, she was more informed about the events than my father, who spoke next.

"We were told that you had a few broken ribs, a broken arm, and a dislocated ankle. Why am I only seeing a dislocated ankle?" I opened my mouth to answer and stumbled back a little, feeling a hand rest on my shoulder to steady me.

"Sakura-chan, maybe you should go rest. You don't look too well." Sasori saved me with his last comment. I wanted to throw my arms around him and cry with relief at being spared from my interrogation, and I flashed a grateful smile. "I do need to sleep; I'm exhausted... Mama, Papa, I'll be going now. It's already really late. Goodnight." I limped up the stairs and saw my parents, out of the corner of my eye, exchange a glance and a shrug. I closed my door behind me.

While lying in bed, memories came back. I remembered all the times I'd repeated exactly what I was doing right now; waiting for the house to go dark so I could open my balcony door and let him in. The first time it happened, it was spontaneous and neither of us expected it. I sank into the memory, remembering every detail, both vivid and subtle, that made it special.

*Flashback/Memory, Normal POV*

Sakura was curled up on her bed, staring blankly at the far wall and remembering what she'd done today. She'd confessed to Sasuke-kun about her feelings, but in the end, she was treated just like one of his fangirls. He shot her out of the sky, damaging her wings to the point that she wondered if she would ever fly so high again. Looking at the ceiling, she envisioned countless ways to redo her day, but all of them turned out the same. Then, a tapping on the screen door destroyed her train of thought.

Outside the window, Sakura had a balcony that overlooked the backyard and the cherry blossom tree separating the Haruno residence from the Uchiha residence. "Maybe a bird got caught in the screen again," she thought numbly, opening the screen door. But what greeted her eyes was not a bird; rather, it was a boy. "S-Sasuke-kun?! What are you-!" His hand whipped out and covered her mouth before her voice could rise to a scream of disbelief. "Shhh, Sakura. I had to come to apologize about today... I'm sorry for my response to you. I know that you love me, and I just couldn't let the world know how I feel in the middle of the cafeteria, could I? But, I owe you an answer now that we're alone. Sakura," Sasuke tenderly cupped her cheek with the hand that had held her mouth shut. "I love you. I've loved you for a long time, and I'll love you forever."

Sakura stared at him, her heart beating a million times a minute, and froze as a new sensation pierced her daze. Sasuke's lips moved softly against hers, melting the tension in her body. The kiss was light, and she could feel the love in it; not just her own, but his as well. Her resistance dissipated as she leaned into him, deepening the kiss and wrapping her arms around his neck. He groaned and closed the door soundlessly behind him, advancing towards her. She held her ground until his arms encircled her waist and lifted her off the floor. She gasped against his mouth as he set her on the bed, sitting beside her. Coming up for air, Sakura looked at the boy she was in love with. "S-Sasuke-kun," she whispered, her eyes sparkling with happiness and unshed tears. "I love you." He smiled softly as his eyes narrowed tenderly, and closed the distance between them.

Sakura gasped as Sasuke's lips pressed against hers again, but the kiss soon turned forceful. His hands came up to touch her face and wrap around her waist, holding her close to him. Sakura parted her lips the tiniest bit and his tongue was instantly inside her mouth, tangling with hers and turning the kiss from moderately light to deeply passionate. Sakura let out a noise of surprise as Sasuke shifted, setting her down on her bed and straddling her. She broke away for air again, but was soon moaning. "S-Sasuke-k-kun..." His tongue was caressing her skin lightly, trailing down her neck to her collarbone, and his hands stroked her sides lightly, sending waves of shudders through her body.

Sakura's rational mind took over. "S-stop, S-S-Sasuke-kun, matte- ahhh," she cried out as his hands found her breasts, teasing her through the thin fabric of the tank top she wore. "Do you really want me to stop? Sakura," Sasuke's voice was husky and low, making her tremble as she listened to him. Against her judgement, her mouth spoke what she wanted to say. "No, p-please, d-don't stop. I don't want you to s-stop, S-Sasuke-kun."

Sakura moaned from his attention and arched her back, pushing her chest into his hands. His teeth bit gently down on her shoulder and she cried out softly, her cry becoming a breathless moan when his lips captured hers again. Sasuke smiled against her lips, tangling his tongue with hers again and slipping his hands beneath her tank top. Sakura jerked when his hand covered her breast and squeezed gently. "Kami-sama... Oh, don't stop, please don't stop, Sasuke-kun... Ahhh..." Sakura moaned against his lips.

Sasuke pulled away to look at her. Sakura's face was flushed, her eyes burning with need and lust. Her kiss-swollen lips beckoned him, especially when her small pink tongue wetted them. Instead, he kissed her neck and ran his hands down her sides to the hem of her sleepwear. Running them back up again, he dragged the hem with him, pulling it off of her slowly and teasingly. Sakura gasped as the cold air hit her sensitive skin, but began moaning again when his hands and mouth covered her breasts. Kneading one gently, his mouth tortured the other mercilessly, his attentions arousing its tip into a hard peak. Switching to the other, Sasuke gave it equal attention, Sakura's moans goading him on the whole time.

"S-Sasuke, p-please... P-please, S-Sasuke-k-kun... I-I c-can't..." Sasuke looked up at his lover and saw the pleading expression in her eyes. He smiled slowly, crawling back up to her lips to lightly kiss them. She let out a breathy sigh at the gentle contact, and her eyes showed confusion and disappointment when he moved away. "Sasuke-kun? W-what-" In an instant, he had snatched her tank top off the floor and dressed her, and had disappeared, leaving her in her bed, hot, bothered, and very, very confused about what was going on. Hearing footsteps, she slid under the covers and breathed deeply.

"Sakura-chan?" Mebuki looked into her room, seeing that nothing was out of place, and smiled. "I must have been dreaming, or hearing things that weren't real. Sakura's asleep, and I should be, too. It's 1:30 AM, after all. Who would be up at this hour, in their senses?" Mebuki shut the door, still shaking her head, and shuffled back to her room. As soon as Sakura heard the door to her parents' bedroom shut, she sat up. "Sasuke-kun? Are you still here?" Movement from behind her alerted her of his presence. "Sasuke-kun!" Sakura squealed softly, ecstatically, happy that he was really here and she wasn't dreaming. "Sakura-chan, I love you. You know that by now, but when we're out in public, not alone, it can't look like that. I have to appear as your friend, and that's all. Think about it," he cut her off as she started to argue. "If we were to come out tomorrow holding hands and acting like a couple that's been dating for months, how would that be received? Everyone would wonder what the hell happened. Especially since I've only been your 'friend' for a few months-publically. I honestly want to be able to be with you; I want to be able to tell you I love you outside of our solitude with no repercussions, but it wouldn't work out. Do you think we can continue doing something like this while we work out a plan of how to approach this minefield?" Sasuke's black eyes narrowed on Sakura's green ones tenderly, his expression softening. She nodded, but disappointment reigned in her eyes. "Ne, I love you, Sasuke-kun. I'll do anything for you, if it means that we can be together." He gave her the traditional Uchiha smirk. "Hn. I love you, too, Sakura-chan. We'll make this work. I promise."

*End of Flashback/Memory*

The same tapping noise from my memory jolted me back to the real world. Looking at my clock, I saw that it was just past 11:30 PM; no one would be up and awake at this hour except for us. My parents didn't see the point in checking on my anymore, and Sasori slept like the dead from 10:00 onwards. Padding lightly to the door, I opened it softly and welcomed him with a kiss. Sasuke's lips played along mine, keeping the contact light and teasing. It didn't matter if he was giving me a light kiss or bruising my lips with his desperate force; it always had the same effect on my body. I moaned softly, winding my arms around his neck and burying my hands in his silky hair. I felt my body tremble as his arms wrapped around me, with one hand pressed against the small of my back and the other caressing my face. Breaking away briefly for air, I noticed both of us had trouble breathing, and I smiled at him. "Hi, Sasuke-kun. I'm glad you could make it."

I shot him a sultry look from under my lashes, and his black eyes dropped to my lips. I pushed him backwards against the door, effectively closing it. I kept my hands pressed against his chest as my lips met his. He groaned softly into my mouth, and I smiled against him. I wasn't the only one who looked forward to our secret trysts after the sun had set each night. Drawing back, I grabbed one of his hands and led him to my bed. I pushed him down on the mattress and evaded his grasping hands, giggling lightly as I skipped to my bedroom door, locking it to ensure nothing got in... or out. I did the same to the balcony door, and glanced back at him under my lashes, waiting to see the effect my newest sleepwear would have on him.

The black low-cut nightdress, which clung to my body, emphasizing my curves in all the right places and ending a few inches above my knees, had the desired effect. Sasuke had never seen me in this one, and I knew before I turned around that his eyes would be raking my body. Spinning to face him, I saw that I was right. He sat on my bed, his eyes glued to my lithe figure. After a few moments of studying me, his eyes returned to my face, and he gave me the traditional Uchiha smirk.

Getting up from the bed, he stalked towards me in a predatory manner. I giggled quietly and tried to skip past him, but he caught my wrist and pulled me back to him. My quiet squeal was inaudible as his lips pressed against mine, and I moaned as his arms wrapped possessively around me. I ran my hands through his black hair and sighed as he pulled away. His black eyes gazed into mine, a smug, scorching look holding my attention. His smirk grew slightly, and then, I was off the ground.

I let out a small shriek as my feet left the floor, and my arms wrapped around Sasuke's neck as he carried me to my bed, bridal style. Setting me down gently, he kissed me again. I parted my lips and met his tongue with my own, fighting for control of the kiss. Breaking away from him, I raised an eyebrow. His shirt was still on, and our legs were tangled together. "Sasuke-kun, I think you're overdressed." I smiled impishly at him as I trailed my hands over his shoulders, tugging lightly at his shirt. Before I could tease him, his shirt was on the floor, and his lips were against mine, eliminating any chance I had of speaking. His tongue played with mine as I ran my hands over his chest, remembering the first time I'd been able to do this. Pulling back for air, I smiled at him and spoke. "I love you, Sasuke-kun."

He looked down at me for a second before doing something that utterly shocked me. Sasuke untangled his legs from mine and sat next to me, his eyes shadowed and expression unreadable. "S-Sasuke-kun? Nani... Did I say something wrong? Why...?" I could feel my confusion flooding me, and I felt my heart begin to break as he stayed silent. Sitting up, I turned away slightly, hoping he wouldn't see my tears. Unfortunately, not much gets past Sasuke, especially when I'm sobbing and he's right next to me.

"Sakura...? Ne, why are you crying?!" I felt his hand on my shoulder, pulling me to face him. His expression was open and confused, and shocked when he saw me. I could see my reflection in his dark eyes; my tears were falling quickly down my cheeks as more filled my eyes. I squeezed my green eyes shut and clutched my chest, feeling the pain as my heart began to tear apart from the distance that had suddenly grown between us. "S-Sasuke...-kun..." I couldn't take seeing this scene any more. I shut my eyes and surrendered to the darkness welling up behind my eyes.

***Sasuke's POV***

"S-Sasuke...-kun..." She closed her eyes and toppled forwards, one hand still gripping her chest, over her heart. I caught her, holding her limp body against my chest. Niichan, do you mind letting me know before you do something as stupid as this?! What the hell were you thinking, pulling away like that?! Sakura didn't even get to hear what we were planning to ask when you pushed away! What the hell is going through your mind at moments like this? My Inner screamed at me. Shut up, Inner! Just help me out with what I'm supposed to do with this mess I've made!

"Sakura-chan, wake up... Ne, onegai, wake up... I..." I couldn't finish my sentence. I love you, Sakura. You're the only one that I've ever loved, and the only one I ever will love. My heart doesn't belong to anyone else. So, you can stop crying. I don't want you to cry anymore. I don't want to hurt you anymore... I want to be with you forever. So, please, wake up. A single tear streaked down my face and splashed onto her cheek.

Niichan, we haven't told her in a long time... and we haven't asked her that yet. We love her too much. We don't want to hurt her, so we push away and then end up hurting her anyway. We really need to work out how to do this... We're getting past the point of ridiculous as far as how we handle things is going. Miffed, my Inner crossed his arms and gave me a glare. I sighed, placing my hand on Sakura's cheek and kissing her gently.

"S-Sasuke-kun? Nani... Matte!" Her eyes shot open and she pushed me back, her palms warm against my chest. "Nani... Naze desu ka? Why are you doing this to me? You're scaring me, Sasuke-kun... I love you, and you don't seem to know that anymore. You're breaking my heart, Sasuke-kun, so onegai," her voice rose on a sob, "onegai, realize that!" Her green eyes overflowed with tears, but stared straight into mine.

"Sakura-chan..." I held her face in my hands and kissed her softly, muffling her protest. She went still at the meaning in my kiss. "I don't need to realize anything... I love you, Sakura! I want-" I broke off, looking down, dropping my hands and trying to piece together what I wanted to say. I heard Sakura move.

A soft touch brought my face back up. Sakura's green eyes were soft, gazing at me tenderly. "Nani, Sasuke-kun? Please tell me. I love you; I'll listen." Her lips pressed softly against mine as one of her hands stroked my face and the other tangled gently in my hair. My eyes closed, savoring the sweetness of her touch, and something in the kiss brought the things I wanted to say to the surface. I ended the kiss, looking at her as my action plan materialized.

Before she could comment, I was off of her bed, kneeling on the floor in front of her. Her eyes widened as she took in the situation. I grasped one of her hands gently, taking a deep breath and gazing into her eyes. "Sakura, I've been with you for a long time... Our two clans are struggling to control Konoha, and I suspect that our parents are plotting something. I don't want to fall into an arranged marriage to anyone other than the girl I love. Sakura, watashito kekkon suru ka? I know that this is unexpected, but I don't want to be with anyone else; not now, not ever." I searched her eyes, noticing the tears welling up in them and how her hands had come up to cover her mouth. I smiled at her, my smile wavering slightly as I waited for her answer.

Sakura's hands dropped, revealing her smile. Blinking, tears cascaded down her cheeks. "Hai, Sasuke-kun. I accept your proposal. I don't want anyone else, either. No one else could make me as happy in a lifetime as you make me every second I spend with you." I felt my heart leap, but I looked down. "I don't have anything to give to represent that you belong to me alone..." Sakura took my hand, effectively pulling me up and onto the bed with her. Pushing me down, she straddled me, her cheeks slightly pink. Leaning down slowly, she placed one hand against my chest as the other rested against my cheek. Her lips found mine, and in that moment, I knew that she was mine. I never wanted to let her go.

"Sasuke-kun, you don't have to give me anything. Just visit me by night and kiss me. I think the memory of this night and this kiss will be enough to declare that I'm yours; just don't forget that this works both ways. I'm yours, and you're mine. No one else can have you." She smiled at me, our faces still close together. I kissed her again, and I knew that we belonged to each other, now and forever.

* * *

**Me: Hi guys! ^u^' I feel kinda bad for not updating sooner... I've been busy with school and a lot of other things! Anyway, I know that this chapter was really long, but I wanted to cover so many things. I think it also changes mood in some places... I had to put little pieces together over the course of a few weeks. *.* I hope you liked it! All the reviews from before made me really happy, by the way. :)**


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